2022 NATIONAL LEAGUE WILD CARD SERIES “B”

Tempe

Tempers

vs.

Selkirk

Steelers

SERIES PREVIEW – N.L. Central rivals face off in the first round via Zoom.  #2 Selkirk Steelers (110-72) vs. #7 Tempe Tempers (90-72)

STRAY

GAME #1 – Jacob Degrom 11-1 (1.32) vs. Max Fried 16-7 (2.49)

Tempe started the scoring in the second on RBI doubles by Rendon and Freeman. Selkirk quickly responded in the same inning with RBI doubles by Seager and Ahmed. In the third, Tempe chased Fried as Duvall capped a 3 run inning with a bomb. Seager hit a solo in the 5th to bring the Steelers within two runs. In the 7th, Realmuto slashed a RBI single and then scored on a double by Martinez. 7-3 TEM. In the bottom of the 7th, Pozo slapped a two run RBI single to keep it close. 7-5 TEM. In the bottom of the 8th, Carlson doubled to give the Steelers runners on 3rd and 2nd with two outs. Tempe brought in Maples and he recorded a critical strikeout to end the inning and then pitched a quiet 9th for the save.

TEM 7 – SEL 5
Win: Jimmy Nelson 1-0 (0.00)
Loss: Max Fried  0-1 (16.88)
Save: Maples #1

GAME #2 – Adam Wainwright 16-8 (2.22) vs. Ian Anderson 10-8 (2.32)

Selkirk got things going in the 3rd when Betts doubled, Winker singled, and Siemen crushed a three run home run. 3-0 SEL. Tempe chipped away with one run in the 4th . Both starters were only able to go four innings. Tempe tied it in the top the 5th, when Beaty drove in Realmuto and then Duvall hit a solo homerun (Hedges gunned the pinch runner for Beaty to limit the damage). In the top of the 7th, Duvall again came through and singled in Realmuto off Kimbrel. 4-3 TEM. Tempe added another run in the 8th and then three more runs in the 9th on Freeman’s 2 RBI double and a Pujols RBI sac fly.

TEM 8 – SEL 3
Win: Dietrich Enns 1-0 (4.50)
Loss: Craig Kimbrel 0-1 (0.00)

GAME #3 – Max Fried 16-7 (2.49) vs. Jacob Degrom 11-1 (1.32)

Tempe had a 3-0 lead before the Steelers could record an out as Freeman singled, Bogaerts doubled and Realmuto homered. Selkirk came back in the top of the 2nd to make a one run game when Seager took Degrom deep. 3-2 TEM. A Freeman RBI single, stolen base and then Bogaerts rbi single made it 5-2 TEM. In the 7th, Freeman took Cease deep for a two run shot. 7-2 TEM. Winker slugged a two run shot off Floro in the 8th. 7-4 TEM. In the bottom of the 8th, Duvall hit his 3rd homer of the series to give Tempe some insurance.

TEM 8 – SEL 4
Win: Jacob Degrom 1-0 (3.72)
Loss: Fried 0-2 (10.13)
Save: Maples #2

GAME #4 – Cal Quantrill 14-9 (3.05) vs. Adam Wainwright 16-8 (2.22)

Selkirk surrendered 23 runs in the first three games and entered game four needing a win to avoid elimination. In the 2nd, Realmuto took Quantrill deep for a solo homerun to put Tempe up 1-0. Quantrill seemed to take offense with Realmuto’s homerun trot and it later triggered a chain reaction. In the 4th, Realmuto came up against Quantrill again and Quantrill drilled him in the knee knocking him out for the next 12 games. Both teams were also issued warnings. Wainwright was cruising with a one hitter until Betts leaned into a pitch over the plate in the 6th and the umpire ejected Wainwright. Both bullpens worked out of the jams in the 6th, 7th and 8th innings. In the top of the 9th with two outs and the season on the line, Carlson worked a walk. Tempe called on Floro to face Garcia. Garcia doubled in the tying run to make it a 1-1 game. Kimbrell pitched three scoreless innings in the 8th, 9th, and 10th. In the 11th, Garcia was clutch again with a solo homerun off Kittredge. Loaisiga then closed out the bottom of the 11th for Selkirk’s first win.

SEL 2 – TEM 1 (11 Innings)
Win: Jonathan Loaisiga 1-0 (10.13)
Loss: Andrew Kittridge 0-1 (2.70)

GAME #5 – Ian Anderson 10-8 (2.32) vs. Aaron Sanchez 3-3 (1.69)

In the top of the 2nd, Sanchez hit a fly down the right field line, but Duvall came up firing and gunned Carlson at the plate. 0-0. Sanchez ran into trouble in the 4th surrendering three runs capped by an Ahmed RBI double. Anderson didn’t have his best stuff, but he found a way strand eight Tempe runners in the first five innings. In the 6th, Alfonso walked and Sanchez crushed a two run homer. 5-0 SEL. A Carlson homer in the 8th made it 6-0. Duvall crushed a solo in the 9th to avoid the shutout.

SEL 6 – TEM 1
Win: Ian Anderson 1-0 (1.54)
Loss: Aaron Sanchez 0-1 (9.00)

GAME #6 – Jacob Degrom 11-1 (1.32) vs. Max Fried 16-7 (2.49)

Both teams sent their aces back out for this do or die series finally. Both of them were looking to fair better than they had in the past two games.
Duvall put Tempe up 1-0 in the 2nd inning on his 5th home run of the series. In the 4th, Betts walked and Winker singled to put runners on 3rd and 1st with no outs. Tempe’s backup catcher Perez picked off Betts and then Degrom got Semien to ground into a double play. In the 5th, Alonso took a pitch off his shoulder and Carlson slapped an infield hit to put two runners on base with only one out. Perez came up big again and picked off Alonso at 2nd. Degrom then struckout Garcia to preserve the 1-0 lead. In the top of the 7th, Martinez took Fried deep to put Tempe up 2-0. In the bottom of the 9th, Betts worked a leadoff walk, but Degrom then got Longoria and Semien to ground out before striking out Alonso for the complete game shutout.
Tempe 2-0
W Degrom 2-0, L Fried 0-3

TEM 2 – SEL 0
Win: Jacob Degrom 2-0 (1.93)
Loss: Max Fried 0-3 (7.07)

SERIES SUMMARY – What a crazy series with the Ghost win making this one quite exciting. It first looked like it was going to be a blow out with Tempe getting the sweep. Then Selkirk pulled out the miracle in game four, took game five easily and narrowly missed being the first team to comeback after being down 0-3. They just needed one of their big three (Betts, Semien, and Alonso who only hit .150 collectively) to hit a timely homerun in game six.

Duval gets the nod for series MVP. It usually doesn’t work like this, but two of Tempe’s last-minute acquisitions (Duval 1.318 OPS 5HR and Realmuto 1.390 OPS 2HR) proved to be major factors in the series.

Tempe wins the series 4-2 over Selkirk.

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WEDNESDAY 07/24/2024
AT 11:59 PM - ET!

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